Testing: Generic Versus Prescription Ends in a Tie

Pseudoephedrine, a generic drug sold over the counter, is just as effective in treating hay fever as the prescription drug Singulair, a new study has found, and neither has significant side effects.

The study, partly financed by Merck, the maker of Singulair, appears in the February issue of The Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery. Three of its authors are paid consultants to the drug company.

Researchers randomly divided 58 healthy adult hay fever sufferers into two groups. In daily doses over two weeks, the first took 10 milligrams of Singulair (montelukast sodium), while the second took 240 milligrams of pseudoephedrine (Sudafed 24 Hour). A 10-milligram Singulair pill sells for $3 on the Internet; 240 milligrams of pseudoephedrine costs 80 cents.

The researchers hypothesized that each drug would work well for nasal congestion, but that Singulair would also control runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing. They thought that pseudoephedrine would have more unpleasant side effects.

But each drug proved effective for all four symptoms, and neither had significant side effects. The only difference was that pseudoephedrine appeared to be slightly better than Singulair at relieving nasal congestion.

Merck referred questions to Dr. Fuad Baroody, the lead author of the paper and an associate professor of otolaryngology and pediatrics at the University of Chicago. He cautioned that this was a small study and that the results might not be the same for everyone.

"If you still itch and sneeze with pseudoephedrine, or have any of the known side effects such as becoming nervous and wakeful, talk to your doctor," Dr. Baroody said. "There are other drugs you can be given that are very effective in improving allergy symptoms without undesirable side effects."